Rain on Roses
by Komatsu NaNa
Summary: As Marluxia dwells in his garden of roses, he remembers an event from his past, long forgotten by the others. A tragic memory, one that brought his pretense emotions to a stage where it all felt real. He remembers the story. [ChapterFic][R&R]
1. Remembrance

Author's Notes: This is my THIRD fanfic, yay! I'm so happy, but I'm very (x infinite) sorry for not updating my other stories! An evil muse-eating creature just ate my beloved muse, and this idea has been in my mind for quite awhile so I've decided to pen it down now. Read & Review, and enjoy! This story contains an OC, so if you don't like OCs, don't read. Don't say I didn't warn you. This will be a short opening chapter. Again, enjoy! No flaming please! x)

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Rain on Roses

Chapter I: Remembrance

Silvery droplets of rain cascaded down from the heavens in a gentle shower, scattering themselves amongst the fragile petals of multi-coloured flowers. The drops shimmered faintly in the fading dusk as the last rays of the setting sun drifted through the well-tended garden. A single shadowy figure knelt amongst a bed of white roses, softly caressing each thorny stalk with love. A scythe was gripped tightly in his right hand, its curved tip contrasting boldly from the calm, peaceful environment in which the nobody Marluxia took time to visit each day. The assassin plucked a rose gently from the soil and held it up to the setting sun, watching as the golden-orange light illuminated it. The shadows grew significantly longer. Marluxia bent down to place the rose back where it came from when a voice interrupted him.

"Number eleven sir, we've got a mission in five minutes. The Superior's orders."

Roxas stood at the doorway to Marluxia's garden, a worried look on his face. "Are you okay, Marluxia sir?" he repeated. Marluxia gave Roxas a once-over, his cold cobalt eyes scanning the boy with a gaze laced with contemptuous poison. "I'll be there, do not worry." The assassin stated, before turning his back to Roxas, who promptly disappeared back into the castle. "Fool of a boy," Marluxia whispered. "He doesn't know the position he has taken, and what he has to live up to." The eleventh member looked down fondly at the white rose, the rain pelting his skin like icy needles. He did not mind, for it was a reminder that nobodies could at least feel rain. It had started with rain, and with rain it had ended. He remembered it fondly, a tiny piece in his mosiac of memories. A previous thirteenth member, long before Roxas, long before they had all forgotten. All but him. He suspected the Superior remembered as well, but he never did mention the matter. Not when Roxas was still in training.

The drops of rain reflected his farce emotions like a glassy mirror.

He felt time stop, and a vortex of memories overwhelm him as he began to delve into his past.

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They were young-at-heart, rambunctious, enthusiastic, despite not having any feelings. It was fun to pretend.

Marluxia hadn't received an element yet, he was far too occupied with other things, such as swinging his gigantic scythe at random objects in the castle. As a porcelain vase crashed to the floor, the young assassin pumped his fist in the air. "Yes, another one!" he cheered, laughing. Saix stood in a corner, staring at him as if he was mentally unstable. Of course, Saix hadn't discovered his berserk abilities yet. They were young, but not that young, and they were still in training. Marluxia wasn't enthusiastic, nor as happy as he was before now. He was now cold, unfeeling and his morals were twisted. But this was the past he was looking at now. Xemnas, who was much older, clapped his hands in annoyance. "Stop your insignificant activities! We have training to commence! Today, we'll be revising on the usage of dark portals."

Marluxia looked up from the shattered vase. "Huh?" he started, before they all were warped into a deserted area surrounded by shadowy buildings, where ominous statues loomed upon them, stone eyes fixed upon the twelve trainees and one leader. Rain fell in blankets from the cloudy skies.

_It had begun with rain._

Marluxia felt the icy needles of rain for the first time. Lifting his gaze to the skies in wonder, he reveled in the ability to feel, as the liquid droplets of freezing water continued to descend from the grey canvas above. He could vaguely make out Xemnas' voice through the rumbling of thunder. "I want you to create dark portals and warp yourselves back to the castle's main room." Xemnas said, before vanishing into his own portal. Immediately, Saix created a portal and was gone in a flash. "Nerd," Axel muttered. "He's always trying to impress the Superior." Lazily, Axel opened a portal and was gone. The other members followed suit, until only Marluxia, who was too obsessed thinking about his new weapon, and the thirteenth member were left. But this thirteenth member was not Roxas. They didn't even know who Roxas was at the time. This member was the newest, and the most confused.

Zenora.

It was not a lie to say that it all started out on the wrong foot.

She was special, in a way. Her name did not possess an 'X', for she was not really a nobody. A half, if you may. But she had the spirit of one. It tormented her to sometimes feel, but at other times, not to feel at all. At times her emotions were pretense, at other moments, they weren't. It had taken a heavy toll on her mind, bringing it to its current state of confusion. Xemnas had accepted her into the Organization because he could see certain potential, as she had astounding abilities. They were still weak though, but with training, Xemnas believed that she would become a useful tool. He also knew that she would become a full nobody one day. It just took enough exposure to the power of darkness, which would eventually draw her in. Cascading dark hair, which fell from her head until her waist, tied with a string of shimmering black pearls. Eyes of deep violet, which had a certain wisdom held within, and seemed to know someone's secrets when they bore into that particular person. She had a pale complexion and a slight, fragile build. But what she did not have was compensated by her strange ability. The power to take souls by her voice. Just like Zexion, who had the abilities to shapeshift and detect scents, she too had a small ability of her own. When she sang, the notes were haunting, melodious, like a melancholic song. Souls would emerge from their owners' bodies and come to her, where she would encse them into crystal vials. When she fought, she could easily drink of the souls from her vials and inherit their energy and power. A formidable ability, once honed to perfection. But now, she just felt confused. Marluxia could see that.

"So, you need any help? You seem unable to open a portal."

Zenora swiftly turned, her eyes flashing with impundence as she stared him down.

"I can do it myself. Don't look down on me because I'm not one of you. _Yet_."

She said, her voice tinged with a certain stubbornness. Marluxia liked that in her. She was a strong-willed one, bold and daring. But there were points he didn't like. Which was why they were frequently at odds, especially when she was on good terms with Larxene, the only other female in the Organization, who was well-known for being an arrogant sadist. The assassin felt a smirk tug at his lips as he chuckled lightly. "A fiesty one, hm? I wonder why in the world Xemnas let you join us. And you're right, you're not even a complete nobody yet. Losing a heart is a painful thing, and you should feel lucky you still have a part of one." At that slight comment, Zenora whirled around, her violet eyes darkening.

"I told you _never_ to speak of that."

Marluxia held his gloved hands up as a sign of false surrender.

"Okay then, suit yourself."

He muttered, before opening a portal and stepping through. He couldn't help but notice an uplifting feeling as he returned to the whitewashed halls of the Castle that Never Was. And for the rest of the day they waited, and they waited. But the thirteenth did not return. Finally, in the early dawn of the next morning, a dark portal opened in Marluxia's room, and she stepped through. Marluxia was still asleep. But when he heard the clump of boots hitting the tiled floor of his room, he sat up immediately and was faced with a soaking wet, seething Zenora. "You're such a brat." Marluxia muttered sleepily. Zenora glared at him and stormed out of the room.

_It had all begun with rain._


	2. Aggrieved Disaster

Author's Notes: I've been very tired lately. Overworked. Not enough sleep. So, now I spend some of my time writing my Fanfictions… My muse hasn't returned from its 'vacation' yet. Oh well. R & R, y'all. x))

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Rain on Roses

Chapter II: Aggrieved Disaster

Number Eleven strode through the corridors of the Castle That Never Was, glancing around furtively as he tiptoed silently past Saix' door, afraid that he would cause a commotion that would awaken the Luna Diviner. Saix was known for his mean temper, and maybe, mentally unstable. Marluxia cringed at the thought and made his way to the training area. He had always been doing this for the past few weeks, so as to become the most powerful among his minions. He crept down the stairs leading to the training center when something made him catch his breath.

A sweet, but haunting, melancholic voice reverberated through the Castle's walls. Marluxia frowned. He obviously did not know that Number Thirteen possessed such a power. Letting his sense of hearing take the lead, he pushed open the door and secreted himself behind the wall. Fortunately, the door did not creak, but Marluxia felt something amiss.

"Oh well." He cast a glance into the training area and gasped. Number Thirteen was up early in the dawn, and from that, earlier than him.

She stood at the window near the arena, her arms resting on the silver railing. Long, dark hair trailed all the way down to her waist, tied by the same string of pearls that glimmered from the light from Kingdom Hearts. It was barely a quarter and they needed to complete the whole thing in order to have their hearts returned.

"What is _she _doing here?" he thought. Marluxia would have felt jealous, but alas, he possessed not a heart.

Her petite frame appeared almost as if she would fall anytime, and she sure did. Pressing a gloved hand to her forehead, beads of sweat trickled down her face and landed on the leathery cloak. With a soft flump, she landed on the ground, her silky hair sprawled out at different angles.

Without thinking twice, Marluxia burst through the door and appeared by her side the next moment. He bent down, staring straight at her face. He scrutinized her; she looked as if she was in intense pain. Marluxia could not understand why. After all, singing was just…singing. It could not possibly cause a fainting spell, especially to one as strong as Zenora.

"Are you alright?"

Zenora stirred, opening her eyes to get a glimpsed of her savior. Marluxia's face hovered above her, although expressionless and just as emotionless like any other Nobody. She sat up, brushing her hair out of her face and shut her eyes for a few more moments, her right hand placed against the floor. Marluxia could hear her breathing heavily, and she certainly did not look good.

"Let me help you up."

Silence.

"No, I'm _fine._"

Zenora managed to get up herself, but struggled for quite awhile. Marluxia watched, wondering how she managed to keep such a spirit of perseverance. If he were her, he would have accepted others' help by then.

"So…how did that happen?"

"It's none of _your_ business. Now, leave me alone."

"Don't you need help?"

Zenora's eyes flashed with pure rage and Marluxia backed away.

"Alright, alright! Calm down. You and Twelve are so alike. _No wonder_ both of you are such good friends…" he murmured the last part to himself, making sure that Thirteen did not get to hear those words.

After Marluxia left, Zenora went back to her previous spot and rested her head on her arms. "It's too tough being half of each. Why can't I just be either _with _a heart, or one _without_ a heart?" contradicting statements raced through her confused mind and something surprising occurred.

She cried.

Silent screams thundered in her mind. She was so desperate to get rid of the remaining half, or get her other half back. Zenora bent low against the railing and sobbed, at least loud enough for an eavesdropping Marluxia to hear.

Raising an eyebrow, he refused to believe that Thirteen was actually _crying. _Of all people! And he thought that she would be the strongest among them. He peeked in again and felt his face flush.

Zenora leaned against the door, sniffing silently, with arms folded into a surly knot. And yes, she _did not look happy_.

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"Hey! Where did you get that from?"

The booming voice that came from Axel, was always recognizable. Marluxia grimaced, knowing that he had to explain the matter to his other members. After Zenora discovered him, he came to a conclusion.

"Well, you can just say that females aren't always that…weak. And…uh, fragile." He gulped.

A long bloody cut grazed Marluxia's right arm, with the tracings of an edge of a double shruiken.

"I don't get what you're saying. You mean…?"

"Yeah. _She._" He was even afraid to mention her name now.

"Who she? Thirteen?" Axel guessed, grinning playfully.

"_Shhh!_ Not so loud!" Marluxia looked around, eyes wide in fear.

Axel folded his arms as well, his appearance so similar to Zenora that he began to freak. "Don't do that! Argh!" Marluxia groaned. The whole Organization was going to make fun of him for being bullied by a _girl_.

"You know what? You shouldn't let her step over you. Gotta let her know that _you're_ the man, and _she's_ the lady, so she has to listen to you, instead of you listen to her. Get my drift?" Axel ranted.

Marluxia's eyes electric blue eyes perked up immediately, as if a storm was reflected in his shimmering pupils.

"I see where you're at." He suppressed a grin.

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Glancing out of her bedroom window, Zenora tugged at a strand of her raven black hair, thoughts whirring in her mind like an endless roller coaster. Focusing back down from the scenery and onto the floor, a single tear slid down her pale face and stained the floor with its splattered liquid.

A tear that was one of its kind.

As she left, it sparkled with a resonating light, one which told a tale of destiny.

Love.

And a tragic ending.

_It had all begun with rain._


End file.
